Circuit of the Americas, TxDOT partner for motor safety

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is partnering with Circuit of The Americas (COTA) to educate its 2 million annual visitors about motor safety. TxDOT will use fan boards and distribute safety educational material in an effort to positively change driving behaviors.

“We hope to reach a large number of people with good information about multiple safe driving messages and in turn have safer drivers on the roads,” said Daniel Jeffries, TxDOT’s motorcycle safety program manager.

COTA is home to the only purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the United States designed for all classes of racing. The 3.4-mile racetrack hosts the world’s most prestigious sporting events, including Formula 1, MotoGP, Lone Star Le Mans and ESPN’s X Games. The 1,500-acre campus is also home of the Austin360 Amphitheater — PollStar’s 2013 “Best New Major Concert Venue” and a 2014 “Best Major Outdoor Concert Venue” nominee. TxDOT Traffic Safety section representatives will attend five races and 25 concerts in the next year.

“The partnership is unique because it is the first time we have done something like this,” said Jeffries.

As a COTA partner, TxDOT has the opportunity to reach many people year-round with a variety of messages. Safety messages will include topics such as Click It or Ticket, drunk driving, general driver safety and motorcycle safety.

Look, Learn, Live, a TxDOT-funded motorcycle safety campaign run by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, will exhibit at MotoGP as part of the new partnership.

“This partnership is significant in that it allows TxDOT to reach a large number of people with multiple safety messages and material over a long period of time,” said Jeffries.